


Swan Song

by Midna127



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes
Genre: No Spoilers in Tags - Freeform, also frederick is there for the sake of frederick, and by death thing i mean archive warnings, can't say i didn't warn you though, except the death thing, lots of headpats, oh and headpats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2020-02-29 19:15:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18784468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midna127/pseuds/Midna127
Summary: If you read the tags you heeded the death warning.Also I hate fics that put spoilers in the tags, like can you not please?





	Swan Song

It was fine to sing if she wanted to for fun. It was okay to sing so someone could attack a second time, as long as she didn't overdo it.

Unfortunately, she was on the Summoner's most trusted team. And Azura's sacred song was overused, exhausting her voice, body, and mind.

She, of course, was fine when it came to the cause. Dealing with a force as powerful as Hel's army made it a necessity, to both herself and the Order of Heroes.

However, it didn't mean that the power took a toll on the songstress. Each night would lead to honey-laced tea, a headache, and restless sleep. This wasn't made better by the summoner's commands to be up and ready by sunrise.

The summoner, Kiran, had tried to get Azura to use drinks from their world, such as "coffee" (which she found to be too bitter no matter what she added) and "energy drinks" (she didn't trust them), but neither worked.

She tried to eat more food, knowing that they were the body's fuel, but even that barely helped. Attempting to sleep earlier caused her to awake earlier as well. Not even sleep medicine helped.

And to add to that, the summoner created a program to train heroes into becoming stronger. How was such a thing accomplished? Each member of the summoner's main team, which included herself, Ike, Lyn (who chose to wield Mulagir atop horseback), and Fjorm, would individually train a team of three via the Training Towers.

"Think about it," Kiran had told them. "What better way to be taught how to become stronger than by strong heroes themselves?"

On paper, this made sense. The best way to learn something is from someone with much experience.

Even if the enemies were weak, though, it didn't make things any better for the princess. At least they weren't constantly trying to drain her of her energy and patience.

Her training team had currently consisted of Caeda, Frederick, and Sakura. Kiran tried to arrange it so that the stronger training units were paired with Azura, as her song would get them more experience when compared to newer fighters. More turns meant more opportunities and growth.

And more of a toll upon Azura.

For months, nearly a year, she was able to hide this, both in public and in battle.

Until it all came crashing down.

The Training Tower level was fairly high, to say the least, in both the height and difficulty. With help from Kiran, Azura waltzed around the field, singing for her comrades, for which they gave her thanks. When enemies attacked, they'd be on their guard, counterattacking if they could. Soon, all four of the enemy soldiers fell, and the group stood victorious.

"Um," Sakura began, lightly brushing back her hair. "I-I know we've said it plenty of times out there, but..." she bowed politely. "Thank you for helping us. It means a lot... at least, it does to me."

"To all of us," Caeda corrected. "War may not be my first option, but the more training we put in, and the stronger we get, the quicker this shall all end."

Azura nodded politely, but not because she wasn't used to constant compliments from her comrades, or was trying to be humble.

Her vision was getting fuzzy, her head getting light, and voices echoing in and out.

She lost her stance.

And her sight of the world.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She was on her bed.

Not in it, nor in a normal sleeping position.

Something happened, but she couldn't remember what. She was on the battlefield... they beat... someone... army...

Azura tried to move, but she couldn't. She struggled to even form a coherent thought. At best, she could move her eyebrows. The eyes themselves felt heavy and were closed.

'Did I pass out?' she thought.

A creak was heard outside. Then another. And then the door opened.

"Azura? Are you awake?" a female voice asked quietly, in case she wasn't.

"...who?" was her response.

The footsteps got closer. "Robin," she told her. "The Summoner sent me here to check on you."

Azura let out a soft groan.

"They're busy with all that's been happening lately, and trusted me to come in his stead." Robin paused. "May I sit next to you?"

The songstress groaned again, and she felt the bed dip a bit next to her. "The pain must be unbearable..." she murmured. "I'm sorry for what you've gone through."

"It's... fine..." Azura whimpered.

"I heard your song has a curse that leads to your own undoing," Robin continued. "I pity you."

Azura let out a quiet sigh. "A fate I... I can accept."

There was a silence between the two.

The songstress felt a foreign hand brush through her hair. "...I hear head pats are rather big in your world. Is this alright?"

With what strength she had, Azura leaned into the tactician's hand. The hand was lifted from her hair and onto her head, soothingly stroking it. Despite all that had happened to her, she felt relaxed and at peace.

"Apparently, you were whisked away from the Training Tower by the knight who was with you... Frederick, was it?"

Azura arched her eyebrow, something she had the strength to do. "You... don't remember his... name?"

She felt a shrug. "It could have been any horseback knight training who was with you." Her fingers continued to gently rake through Azura's hair. "And to be fair, there's too many heroes here to memorize names. It's easy to forget, especially with a memory like mine."

"Oh," Azura said, remembering about Robin's faulty memory. "Sorry."

"No, it's all right," Robin assured. "Your well-being right now is more important than mine." Again, a pause. "Perhaps I can help with that?"

Azura arched her eyebrows again. "How so?"

Robin let out a soft chuckle. "It's simple: you must trust and rely on me entirely for this, understand?"

Azura attempted to nod, which Robin understood. "Good... you'd do better to listen to a real tactician rather than someone sucked in randomly as a supposed 'chosen one.'" Robin scoffed. She sighed. "Sorry, it just irks me that they could make decisions with these kind of consequences, and be seen as a flawless human."

All Azura could do was lean into Robin's hand.

"Anyways, now that you've put your trust in me, I can get into the details," Robin continued. "Of course, insisting for me to take your place could work, but you know how Kiran is about his songstresses and dancers. I've no talent in those kind of things. And I can't exactly rid the curse that you suffer from."

Azura, again, knew this. As much as it bothered her, she knew that she couldn't avoid it, and tried to use the power that came with it to the best of her ability.

"At least... not while you're alive."

Azura's body, if it even could, froze. Robin laughed, but it wasn't a joking one.

It was deep. Maniacal. Almost insane.

Not Robin.

...someone else.

Azura felt a light pressure on her eyes, gently moving in a circular motion, silently coaxing her to gather the strength to open her eyes.

The pair of eyes she met had pupils to put blood to shame.

"Gr... Grima..?"

Grima smirked. "Good to see your condition hasn't made your mind a mess as well..."

Azura tried to move away, but she couldn't. "H-"

She let out another dark chuckle. "You really think anyone can hear you, with your voice so weak with fatigue?"

Azura looked around, panicking. She was trapped. She couldn't do anything.

"Even if you tried to escape, you've made a verbal pact with the Fell Dragon," she taunted. "And I never go back on my word, no matter how worms repay me... which are none, of course. Luckily, part of this deal requires me to rake you across the coals." Grima mockingly twirled a strand of Azura's hair.

The songstress winced. "W...Why me?"

"You? Why, you're a prized pet of Kiran. That's one step closer to gaining power in this Order. Not to mention, with the respect and admiration of nearly everyone here..." Grima chuckled again. "Oh... this is delicious."

The possessed tactician laid her hands on the songstress's head again. "Now, go back to sleep... it'll do you well for what I'm about to do."

"What?"

"Be you daft? I said that I'd turn you into an undead minion to end your curse, did I not? I'll spare you the pain, since your body's taken too much of a toll for my taste." She paused. "And I'll spare your training comrades from my wrath to sweeten the deal. That way you can have all the fun you desire with your undead pegasus knight, healer, and great knight... whatever their names are."

All Azura could do was whimper as darkness closed in, giving into it and losing all sense of consciousness.

"A shame I couldn't hear your swan song."

**Author's Note:**

> If you read the tags you heeded the death warning.
> 
>  
> 
> Also I hate fics that put spoilers in the tags, like can you not please?


End file.
